Meghan's £112 advent calendar prompts online row after priests suggest £5.99 alternative
Two Anglican priests criticised Meghan's £112 As Ever advent calendar and recommended a £5.99 Christian one, drawing abusive replies from her supporters. The Daily Mail and Daily Mirror both cover it, with differing emphasis.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, launched a £112 ($148) chocolate advent calendar through her lifestyle brand As Ever, made with Los Angeles chocolatier Compartés. Daily MailR “The Duchess of Sussex has launched her new £112 ($148) gourmet chocolate advent calendar in an online advert” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Daily MirrorL “features 24 luxury chocolates in collaboration with Los Angeles chocolatier Compartes” Read at Daily Mirror ↗ Mixed · 2The box features an illustration of the Sussexes' Montecito mansion and contains 24 handcrafted chocolates; the Mirror put the price at about £4.60 per chocolate. Daily MirrorL “which equates to about £4.60 per chocolate” Read at Daily Mirror ↗ Daily MailR “features a festive illustration of the £11million mansion” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Mixed · 2Reverend Daniel French, an Anglican priest, posted on X suggesting a £5.99 Christian advent calendar with Fairtrade chocolate from the Meaningful Chocolate Company, which donates to The Leprosy Mission and includes a booklet on the meaning of Christmas. Daily MailR “For £5.99 you can pre-order a Christian Advent Calendar with Fairtrade chocolate from the Meaningful Chocolate Company. A donation is made to The Leprosy Mission.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Daily MirrorL “Includes little booklet on the meaning of Christmas.” Read at Daily Mirror ↗
Mixed · 2The Daily Mail describes French as a London university chaplain, while the Mirror says he is a priest in Salcombe. Daily MailR “Anglican priest and London university chaplain Reverend Daniel French” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Daily MirrorL “Reverend Daniel French, a priest in the town of Salcombe” Read at Daily Mirror ↗ Mixed · 2Replies to French's post, apparently from Meghan's supporters, called him 'satan spawn' and 'evil' and said he had an 'ugly heart'. Daily MailR “branded him 'satan spawn' and 'evil', while claiming he had an 'ugly heart for a so-called Christian'.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Daily MirrorL “branded him 'Satan spawn' and 'evil', while claiming he had an 'ugly heart'.” Read at Daily Mirror ↗ Mixed · 2Father Chris Phillips, a colleague whose parish is in south-west London, defended French, prompting more hostile replies, and he then made his X account private. Daily MirrorL “eventually led to Father Phillips having to set his social media account to private” Read at Daily Mirror ↗ Daily MailR “His Protestant colleague Father Chris Phillips – whose parish is in Benhilton, south-west London” Read at Daily Mail ↗
Right · 1The Daily Mail says the priests were 'terrorised' by 'deranged trolls', that threats were included, and that French locked down his account after being called a 'demon'. Its article is internally inconsistent on which priest locked his account. Daily MailR “His defenders have said he has been 'terrorised' by 'deranged trolls' ever since”“After 24 hours of online abuse, including threats and defamatory suggestions about his character” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Mixed · 2French replied to one critic, who said he was 'not her target audience', with 'Enjoy' according to the Mirror. Both outlets said they had asked the priests for comment. Daily MirrorL “the priest simply responded: “Enjoy.”” Read at Daily Mirror ↗ Daily MailR “Both priests have been asked to comment.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Right · 1The Daily Mail reports that Meghan wore a reported £75,000 of clothing and jewellery in the advert, including a $61,250 necklace, and that she is believed to get a commission from sales. Daily MailR “wore £75,000 ($100,000) worth of clothing and jewellery”“She is believed to get a commission from sales” Read at Daily Mail ↗
Left · 1The Mirror adds that the Royal Collection Trust released a £12 advent calendar with 24 milk chocolates days after Meghan's. Daily MirrorL “the Royal Collection Trust unveiled its £12 advent calendar, which featured 24 days of milk chocolates” Read at Daily Mirror ↗ Right · 1The Mail also recounts the Sussexes' return to the UK in August, their wait for a decision on taxpayer-funded security, and Meghan's 2021 claim about a private wedding ceremony with Archbishop Justin Welby, which he denied. Daily MailR “are waiting to hear whether they will be given taxpayer-funded security”“The row forced Welby to issue a statement dismissing the claims.” Read at Daily Mail ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- Leads on the priest 'blasting' Meghan over the price and the lack of the meaning of Christmas, treating the backlash as a 'huge online row'.
- Emphasis
- The priest's criticism, price per chocolate and the Royal Collection Trust's £12 calendar.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not use the Mail's language of 'terrorise', threats or trolls, and omits the clothing value and Meghan's background.
- Charged language
- “blasts”“eye-watering”“vicious online row”
- For example
-
“British priest blasts Meghan Markle over her new eye-watering £112 Christmas advent calendar” — Daily Mirror
“his comments prompting a vicious online row” — Daily Mirror
Centre0 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- Leads on Meghan's fans 'terrorising' priests who politely criticised the calendar, alongside her lavish advert and wider Sussex controversies.
- Emphasis
- Abuse of the priests, the £75,000 of clothing and jewellery, Meghan's commission, the Welby wedding dispute and the security question.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention the Royal Collection Trust calendar.
- Charged language
- “terrorise”“Sussex Squad”“deranged trolls”“demons in church's clothing”
- For example
-
“Meghan's Sussex Squad fans 'terrorise' British priests and hound one off social media in row over advent calendar” — Daily Mail
“One British vicar who politely criticised the product has been forced to lockdown his X account” — Daily Mail
What every side reports
- Meghan launched a £112 As Ever advent calendar with Compartés.
- Rev Daniel French posted a £5.99 Christian advent calendar alternative on X.
- Replies called him 'satan spawn' and 'evil'.
- Father Chris Phillips defended him and restricted his account.
- Neither outlet had a response from the priests.
Where accounts differ
-
Nature of the online response
- Left
- The Mirror calls it a 'vicious online row' and 'onslaught of messages'.
- Right
- The Mail says the priests were 'terrorised' by Sussex Squad fans, including threats.
-
Who started the row
- Left
- The Mirror's headline says the priest 'blasts' Meghan, casting him as the aggressor.
- Right
- The Mail says he 'politely criticised' the product and portrays him as the victim.
-
Rev French's role
- Left
- A priest in Salcombe.
- Right
- An Anglican priest and London university chaplain.
Meghan Markle person
Presents the calendar as a limited-edition product inspired by her Montecito home and garden; no direct comment on the row is reported.
“'inspired by her Montecito home and garden'” — Daily Mail
“Both priests have been asked to comment.” — Daily Mail
Left1 article
-
British priest blasts Meghan Markle over her new eye-watering £112 Christmas advent calendar
Mixed Presents the priest's criticism as sparking a vicious online row, noting the price and the cheaper royal calendar.
Centre0 articles
No coverage yet.
Right1 article
-
Critical Casts the Sussex Squad as abusers of clergy and links the row to Meghan's wealth and past controversies.
- 6 Oct 15:01 First Daily MailR Meghan's Sussex Squad fans 'terrorise' British priests and hound one off social media in row over advent calendar
- 6 Oct 17:04 +2h 3m Daily MirrorL British priest blasts Meghan Markle over her new eye-watering £112 Christmas advent calendar
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.